Nashville man pleads guilty to selling guns, drugs to informant

Felon faces up to 30 years

Sep. 23, 2013

Written by

Quint Qualls

The Tennessean

A Nashville man with a history of drug arrests pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Nashville on Monday to selling guns and heroin to a Metro police informant last year.

Jason Hutcherson, 37, former maintenance man at the Old Hickory Church of God, faces up to 30 years in prison. He was charged with two counts of heroin possession and distribution and two counts of felony firearm possession. Hutcherson pleaded guilty to all four counts.

In October, Metro police detectives met with an informant who said Hutcherson was in possession of a handgun. Detectives then fitted the informant with a wire before he was to meet with Hutcherson to purchase a handgun and a quarter-ounce of heroin for $1,700, according to a federal grand jury indictment handed down in January.

Metro detectives took Hutcherson into custody after a meeting with the informant at Castlegate Motors on Gallatin Road, where he was purchasing a motorcycle.

“I sold some guns and some heroin,” Hutcherson said when Chief U.S. District Judge William J. Haynes asked him to describe his infractions in his own words. As a convicted felon, it is against the law for Hutcherson to possess a firearm.

Felony possession of a firearm can result in up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Possession and distribution of heroin can result in up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Hutcherson had been previously convicted of drug possession and intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.

Haynes scheduled the sentencing for Dec. 13.

Quint Qualls is a reporter with Seigenthaler News Service–MTSU. He can be reached at qqq1991@yahoo.com.